298 
THE COTTAGE GAllDENEIl. 
Januauv 22. 
; rays would stnke obliquely on the piano surface directly , 
he emerged above the eastern horizon, diverging from 
: E. S. E. to W. N. AV. on his ascension to the meri- 
: dian, tiie shadow getting shorter every degree, and, im¬ 
mediately after passing the meridian, liis rays would 
I again fall obliquely on the plane surface, diverging from 
! S. y. AV. to E. N. E., the shadow every degree getting 
longer. I aslc, how is it possible more light can be 
' obtained than this by a ridge and-furrow roof? AVhen the 
sun's rays strike on one side the ridge, they cannot, by any 
' possibility,strike on the other; consequently, wliat seems to 
I be a gain on the one side is, most certainly, a loss on the 
I other. This may be lu’ovcd to demonstratioii any day when 
j the sun shines, and more particularly of a frosty moi'uing. 
i As regards getting a more subdued light at mid day, how 
' can that be, except at a loss of heat? Huppose it w'ere 
' possible to cover a roof, as before, with a sheet of glass laid 
I ridge-and-furrow, what would there be to subdue the light 
at noon, the surface being all glass ? lam awai'e that it is 
supposed, and endeavoured to be maintained by many, 
that the ridge-and-furrow roof [lossesses the advantages 
you ilescribe. AVTmther it is because it was tirst brouglit out 
by Sir Joseph Paxton, I cannot tell; hut 1 have never yet 
been able to see it. 1 have given the subject a great deal 
of consideration. I have watched a roof so eonstruc.teil very 
narrowly, when the sun has been shining full on it, and the 
only conclusion I can come to, from actual observation, is, 
that it is absolutely a loss of both light aud heat; as every 
inch of wood used in the construction of the roof must 
necessarily decrease the amount of light; consequently, the 
amount of heat also. 
I have been told by some persons, “ whose opinion I have 
asked,” that they can get two meridians with the ridge and- 
furrow roof; wdiich I lliiiik quite absurd. If you can get more 
than one, you may go on <i<l iiifinilum. Rut, by way of further 
illustration, take a sheet of paper, lay it on a plane surface, 
then fold it into ridge-and furrow, and see if it will cover the 
same amount of surface. It certainly will not. 'Then, all 
that is added to it to make it do so, must, necessarily, diminish 
the amount of light and heat, it being an opa(pie body. 
Again, as to economy in the erection of such bitildiiigs, its 
mvtst be more expensive to cover a given space with ridge- 
and-furrow roof than a plane surface, from the fact of its 
taking more materials, both of w'ood and glass. The only 
advantage I can see it possesses, is when a larger space of 
ground is required to be covered with glass than can possibly 
be done with one span to advantage. 1 know' a Grapery, near 
Ivfiicester, sixty-four yards long by twenty-two yards wide; 
tliere it comes in well for the purpose intended. I erected 
and heated a Grapery, forty-four feet long by thirteen feet 
wide, about -iOO yards distant, for a gentleman, and hoLh 
houses are this year being forced fur early Grapes, which 
will he a test if there is any advantage cither possesses over 
the other. I am aware 1 diHer in opinion with many on 
this subject, “ and am open to conviction; ” but until I can 
see it it ijraclically demonstrated where J am wrong, 1 shall 
consider my present opinion correct.— John Pannejj., 
Chesterjield. 
NEW BOOKS. 
I The British Year-Book for the Country, for IHbtl.* 
j This little volume contains much useful informatiou, aud 
I is, to some extent, a record of what is new that has taken 
! place relative to the culture of the soil during the past 
twelve months. It contains some of the calendarial con¬ 
tents of an almanack ; a few original papers; reviews of a, 
few books; list of new Howers, 2 )lants, and fruits; prices, 
(luring 1835, of Garden and Earm produce at Baris and 
London; with lists of horticultural and agricultural peri- 
1 odicals—not very accui-ate, by-tbe-by; for 'ITie Cottage 
i Garhener is not published on a Thursday, but on a 
! Tuesday ; its price is not two pence, but three-pence ; and its 
j editors are not G. AV. Johnston, but G. IE. Johnson and Jl. 
Iftiyy, Esqrs. 
1 * The liritish Year-Hook for the Country, for 185(). Bcinp: an Annual 
of Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture, anil Arhoricultiirc. Kilitcil 
by C. M’lntosh, Esq., and T. Lindlcy Kcinp, J\I.I). J.ongman and 
Co , Eondon. 4s, 6d. 
AVe make the following extract from one of its original I 
articles by Mr. IMTntosli, not only as being a fair specimen ! 
of that portion of the work', but because it api'lies to a 
subject discussed in our columns to-day by Mr. I’aiinell: — 
“ AA'^e have already spoken of the importance of light. In 
the ordinary description of hothouses, built with strong 
rafters, framed sashes, and massive sash-bars, it has been 
found, by calculation, Ibat one-sixth of the .surface in such 
cases is perfectly opacpie; and where glass of any small 
size, say six inclies by four, as is often the case, is employed, 
this obstruction of light is very mncli increased, to say 
nothing at all of the back-wall which is not unfrequently 
equal to three-fourths of the whole glass surface. The 
])osition, also, of a lean-to house is the worst possible for 
either the admission of the greatest amount of light or the 
eiiuaiisation of the effi'cts of solar heat. In the case of 
s|)an-roofs, and also of ridge and-fuirowed roofs, a more 
eipial (lilVusion of the sun’s intlueiice will he obtained, 
because both ])roscnt their surfaces to the direct effects of 
t)otli the moi’uing and evening sun ; while at mid-day these 
rays will strike tlie angle oljlifpiely, thus jiroduciiig a more ; 
equal solar tempernlure ; and the beiielits urisiug from this 
aud the longer contiiuiatioii of light uiion such roofs must 
be apparent to all. la practice, it lias been found that the 
tciiiperatme in a lidge-and-furrow, and also in a span roofed 
bouse, placed close by and equally well situateil in every 
respect with a lean to lioiise of equal dimensions, that the 
temperature lias been raised in both the former 15° before it 
became affected in the latter. AATth regard to the economy of 
fuel, au immense saving is perceptible between the two 
forms, because in both tlie ridge-and-furrow forms Ihe solar 
heat is maiiitaiued for a longer period than in the other, re¬ 
quiring a much less amount of fuel, or artificial heat, 
because, as it were, the lengtli of the nights is so much 
shortened, or ratlur that the length of the days is pro¬ 
longed. The old lean-to form is, of all others, the very 
worst for houses in which iilaiits are to lie grown; for, let 
the ]ilauts he arranged as they may, only a very small 
portion of their surface is exposed to direct light; hence 
they become one-sided and deformed, and all the skill and 
care of tlie ciiUivalor cannot obviate tliis defect. I’laiits, on 
the other hand, arranged on a stage in the centre of a span- 
roofed house, or upon jdatforms or tables round the sides 
and ends, enjoy an cipial share of lighp on all sides. The 
same may also be said of the equal dilfusion of air, if ad¬ 
mitted as we liave‘suggested. A span-roofed house of any 
given length will contain, in better condition, double the 
number of pot-phuits that a lean-to liouse of the suine 
Icnglh will do. This, of itself, is a consideration. 
“ Regarding the diff'erence of expense in the erection of 
the two forms, the span-roofed house, with all its advantages, 
costs no more than the lean-to one; because the expense of 
rearing Ihe brick wall, be the materials what they may, will 
he found ill all cases to exceed that of the extra timber and 
glass employed in the other. The span-roofed house casts 
little or no shade on the surronnding grounds, the lofty 
hack wall does so to a very considerable extent, presenting 
at the same time anything but an agreeable object, or an 
element conducive to the effects so much sought for in 
garden scenery. 
“ The ridge-and-furrow roof, wdiich is merely a modifica¬ 
tion of the span form, possesses all these advantages when 
the sides and cuds are glass to within a few inches of the 
groiiiid. Indeed, the hcan ideal of a ]>erfect glass structure, 
whether for ]iUint culture or tlie production of fruit, will he 
found to ho one whose sides, all round, arc of glass, resting 
on astoiio plinth or base, the height of which to beregulatocl 
by the size luid importance iVished to be altuchod to it. If, 
for exaiuplc, the structure is placed on an elevated terrace, 
surronnded by a retaining wall, the base them need nut be 
more than from seven to eight inches, which makes an easy 
step from the gravel walk to the tlooi', wdiich should he ele¬ 
vated thus mucli above the exterior lend for the preservation 
of those parts of the timber-work which rest immediately 
upon it. 'The roof being supported by open ytuzed pilasters, 
placed under the valleys of the roof, tlie spaces between 
which pilasters to he in friniied sashe.s, either in one or in 
two pieces, according to the distance between them, and 
made moveable by running on whecds adjusted to a double 
lino of round iron rails lilted to the stone pliiitli. Tltcse 
